Economics senior and president of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity Brian Kirsch points out where to land the ball to teammate Meredith Bohdan, an economics junior, during the fraternity’s annual bocce ball tournament. It is held to raise money for Push America.
Bailey Park usually is used for soccer practices or baseball training, but once a year, it becomes the place for bocce ball.
More than 50 people competed in Pi Kappa Phi’s third annual bocce ball tournament Sunday, which raised more than $600 to benefit the fraternity’s national philanthropy, Push America.
“A lot of people ask, ‘Why bocce ball?’” said MSU alumnus and tournament founder Isaiah Sonjeow. “It’s tough because whenever we tell people to join or sign up they are like, ‘Well, I don’t know anything about bocce ball’ and they don’t realize it’s not about bocce ball. It’s about raising money for this great organization.”
Founded in 1977 by Pi Kappa Phi, Push America is a nationwide organization which works to raise funding and awareness for people with disabilities. Although Push America is celebrating its 30th anniversary, it’s the third anniversary of the bocce ball tournament.
“A few years ago we just thought it was funny. We were like, ‘Are we really going to play bocce?’” said business construction management senior Phil Magee.
“We came out as a joke and we actually did all right, so last year and this year we came back. It’s for a philanthropy so (we’d) might as well. It’s better than laying on the couch all day.”
This year, 24 teams signed up, doubling last year’s participation. Each team paid $30 to register. With two people on each team, they lined up across the field from one another, each bowling their balls, trying to get their ball closest to the target in order to gain points.
Local sororities baked cookies and brought food for the players, while companies such as Chipotle and NCG Cinemas donated gift certificates that were raffled off.
The winners of the competition won engraved trophies and plaques given to the fraternity for the occasion by Larry Cushion Trophies & Engraving, 310 N. Clippert St. in Lansing.
Pi Kappa Phi’s president, Brian Kirsch, said for him the competition is about what’s behind the bocce.
“It’s not even about playing bocce ball – it’s about raising money for a good cause and getting as many people out here as we can,” Kirsch said.
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